This invention relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of a new and distinct variety of plum, Prunus salicina cv. ‘Suplumfiftyone’. The new variety was first originated by hybridization in July 2013 by Terry A. Bacon as breeder number ‘PL1617RB’.
The new variety ‘Suplumfiftyone’ is characterized by having large fruit with dark red flesh. The fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfiftyone’ is moderately firm, juicy and has a mild sweet flavor.
The seed parent is ‘PL888RB’ (unpatented breeding selection), and the pollen parent is bulk pollen of several midseason plums. The parent varieties were first crossed in February 2010, with the date of first sowing being February 2011, and the date of first flowering being February 2013. The new plum variety ‘Suplumfiftyone’ was first asexually propagated by Terry Bacon near Wasco, Kern County, Calif. in February 2014 by dormant grafting.
The new variety ‘Suplumfiftyone’ is similar to its seed parent ‘PL888RB’ in that both varieties have a red flesh. The new variety ‘Suplumfiftyone’ differs from ‘PL888RB’ in that the fruit of the new variety is larger than the fruit of ‘PL888RB’, at 170 g compared to 129 g for ‘PL888RB’. The fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfiftyone’ also ripens about 2 weeks earlier than that of ‘PL888RB’.
The fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfiftyone’ ripens about the same time as the fruit of the variety ‘Friar’ (unpatented), but the fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfiftyone’ has a red flesh compared to yellow flesh for ‘Friar’. The fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfiftyone’ has a red flesh that is similar to the flesh of the fruit of the variety ‘Black Splendor’ (unpatented), but the fruit of the new variety ‘Suplumfiftyone’ starts ripening about 43 days later than that of ‘Black Splendor’.
The new variety ‘Suplumfiftyone’ has been shown to maintain its distinguishing characteristics through successive asexual propagations by, for example, cuttings and grafting.